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United States Patent | 5,182,217 |
Norton | * January 26, 1993 |
Photodetectors that produce detectivities close to the theoretical maximum detectivity include an electrically insulating substrate carrying a body of semiconductor material that includes a region of first conductivity type and a region of second conductivity type where the region of first conductivity type overlies and covers the junction with the region of second conductivity type and where the junction between the first and second regions separates minority carriers in the region of second conductivity type from majority carriers in the region of first conductivity type. These photodetectors produce high detectivities where radiation incident on the detectors has wavelengths in the range of about 1 to about 25 microns or more, particularly under low background conditions.
Inventors: | Norton; Paul R. (Santa Barbara, CA) |
Assignee: | Santa Barbara Research Center (Goleta, CA) |
[*] Notice: | The portion of the term of this patent subsequent to April 2, 2008 has been disclaimed. |
Appl. No.: | 740570 |
Filed: | August 2, 1991 |
Current U.S. Class: | 438/68; 148/DIG.64; 148/DIG.80; 257/E21.465; 257/E31.018; 257/E31.058; 257/E31.067; 438/87; 438/93; 438/95 |
Intern'l Class: | H01L 031/18 |
Field of Search: | 437/5,3,2,4,84,141,154,185,234 357/30 B |
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4081819 | Mar., 1978 | Wong. | |
4105479 | Aug., 1978 | Johnson et al. | 357/30. |
4132999 | Jan., 1979 | Maille et al. | |
4206003 | Jun., 1980 | Koehler. | |
4236165 | Nov., 1980 | Kawashima et al. | 357/30. |
4411732 | Oct., 1983 | Wotherspoon. | |
4435224 | Mar., 1984 | Durand. | |
4445269 | Jan., 1984 | Pollard | 437/3. |
4517464 | May., 1985 | Heath et al. | |
4568397 | Feb., 1986 | Koke et al. | 437/3. |
5004698 | Apr., 1991 | Norton et al. | 437/5. |
Foreign Patent Documents | |||
2471053 | Nov., 1979 | FR. |